


Kitty in a Tea Cup

by suhossineun



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Age Difference, Cat/Human Hybrids, Consent Issues, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Muteness, cat hybrid activism, cat hybrid related consent issues, cat hybrids bred for sex, fuck toy, inaccurate sign language, sippy cups
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-19
Updated: 2017-06-19
Packaged: 2018-11-16 02:45:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,007
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11244726
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/suhossineun/pseuds/suhossineun
Summary: Sometimes checking into meowing dumpsters can be life-changing. Chanyeol learns it the hard way.





	Kitty in a Tea Cup

**Author's Note:**

> So, here's the thing. This is a fic I wrote a few years ago but I decided to post it here now, because I do really like it. My style has changed from this one quite a bit so maybe it feels a little strange to read. If you've read this before you might recognize it and realize that I've changed the pairing. I did that because honestly... my feelings toward krisho as otp are complicated, and I decided that in this time and place, it felt good to change the ship of the fic.
> 
> With that being said, there's some things about this fic I'd like to address. First and foremost, Jun the kitty is extremely young. In this universe, cat hybrids age really fast, so he's fully mature when he's just a few months old, so technically he's not underage for anything that happens, but if you're not comfortable with that then that's okay. Second, there's some really rough themes here considering how the cat hybrids are bred and what they're being used for, so if implied mistreatment, mentions of rape in passing etc. make you uncomfortable, don't read this fic. Overall it's a very lighthearted story with a happy ending, but some heavier themes are touched upon.
> 
> you can find me on twitter @suhossineun if you ever want to chat about anything

Mew. Miew. Miew...

Chanyeol is on his way home from work, having just finished closing up the night cafe. It's almost 4am, the ungodly hour when even the last of the drunkard and bar workers are heading home before the morning crowd of the 'normal' people starts up. He keeps his head low and walks briskly; he's not afraid but he doesn't want to engage in any unnecessary conversations with dangerous strangers, not to mention in useless fights. He wants to go home, have a quick snack and then fall into bed and sleep most of the day away. 

Mew. Mew. Meow.

He lives in an average neighbourhood, but stray cats are not uncommon, not at this hour when most people are gone and the streets are safer for small creatures to search for food. Chanyeol glances around but even though he's nearing the source of the meowing he still doesn't see a cat anywhere.

Homeless animals always make his heart clench. They always have injuries, they're malnourished and the fear they have in their eyes as they look at him... Chanyeol tries to save as many as he can, catching cats and dogs that will let him touch them and taking them to the shelter. But he knows it's a lost cause- there will always be more, out there, struggling to live another day.

It's chilly and he zips up his leather jacket to stop the gust of wind from caressing his skin through his button-down shirt. It'll be nice to have a hot shower; there's never a lack of hot water at this hour.

Meow. Miew...

The cat in question this time sounds young, painfully so... Adult cats don't really make a noise like that. Is it a kitten? That's just cruel; how could anyone have a heart to abandon such an innocent creature? Or maybe its mother got killed and the small fluff ball is now all alone, too young to even eat solids yet...

But kittens don't know how to be afraid of humans, yet.

As much as he wants to get home and rest, Chanyeol just can't walk by a suffering animal that he has the power to save. And so, he halts in front of the large dumpster the voice comes from. The street lamp gives him just enough light so he can see and he opens the thing to peek inside.

Mew.

Up at him is staring a cat boy, not a kitten.

Hybrids are not very rare in Seoul, and neither are stray nekos... But they have a stigma to them. The masterless hybrids are nearly always engaged in sex, drugs and the like, most likely not out of their free will, and Chanyeol tends to stay away from them because their eyes lined with kohl and hard stares make him uncomfortable. But this one is way too young to be a part of any illegal line of business.

The cat boy is wearing a loose shirt with big holes in it, but he doesn't have any pants or shoes on. He is hugging his legs to his chest and he's shivering from head to toe, still mewing pathetically as he looks at Chanyeol with wide, fearful eyes. His ears are auburn while his hair is blond and so they stand out even now when they're pressed slightly down, and his tail that's curled around his body to try to keep him warm is completely still as well.

Meow.

The hybrid seems frozen on his spot but it's clear he's terrified of Chanyeol, and Chanyeol doesn't doubt he has every reason to be wary of humans. But just how old is this one?

”Hello?”

The hybrid doesn't respond, only flinches at the sound of his voice.

”I'm not going to hurt you, I promise. I'll... I'll help you, okay, buddy? What's your name?”

No reaction, and nothing in the cat boy's eyes gives away that he even understood what Chanyeol is saying. He just sits there like a small statue and oh how wiry and thin his arms are... Chanyeol knows that hybrids can appear adults in their human form even if they're nowhere near that old, but could it really be that this one is just a couple of weeks old?

”I'm Chanyeol. I know I must seem very suspicious and you probably haven't been treated very well, but I promise you I will help you. I'll take you to a shelter, or to my place, and feed you. I'm sure you'd want food. Like, fish. Tuna. Milk. Warm milk.”

Even the names of different foods don't get the boy to show any signs of recognition.

Chanyeol switches languages; first the few words of Japanese he knows, then a bit of shaky Mandarin, Cantonese, even French and English. But the cat boy is still simply meowing, his milky white teeth flashing whenever his upper lip shifts.

”Do you... understand any of what I'm saying? I'm Chanyeol. Chanyeol. That's me.” Chanyeol resorts to using exaggerated hand signals, pointing at himself with his hand that's not holding up the top of the dumpster. ”Chanyeol.”

The hybrid frowns minutely before tilting his head down and letting out an awfully pained sound.

This conversation is not going anywhere, and Chanyeol is beginning to guess why... The hybrid doesn't know how to talk and doesn't understand speech either.

He can't be more than a week or two old.

The pang of pain through his chest is enough to make tears rise to his eyes but he bats them away determinedly before he slowly pushes the top as far as it'll go so that it stays up by itself, and then reaches down into the dumpster for the kitten boy. The boy yowls but when Chanyeol' large hand grabs him by the back of his neck he goes slack, just like Chanyeol expected he would. Even though the boy looks human he's still very much a cat and responds to being handled like one like he should. It's like a mama cat holding up a kitten to take it somewhere, aside from Chanyeol having to use both of his hands and a lot of strength from his back and thighs to get the boy out of there when he's not helping any.

Finally the boy is out and oh goodness, he's short... He only comes to Chanyeol' mid-chest and he is so... narrow. So very narrow. He's shaking and the ground has to be hard on his bare feet.

Chanyeol takes off his leather jacket quickly and wraps it around the boy and then picks him up bridal style. A bit of struggling ensues but finally the boy settles and even nuzzles closer for extra warmth.

Chanyeol doesn't know much about cat boy biology but he's positive a boy of this height shouldn't be this light in his arms. He can't get home fast enough, even jogs down the last stretch of street when the snivels and soft whimpers grow quieter and feebler. Glancing down, he sees the boy now suckling on a lapel of the jacket and completely immersed in it too- kind of like a child would with a pacifier but Chanyeol is sure this is just hunger acting up.

Ducklings imprinting on the first thing that they see when they hatch might be an urban legend but the boy surely grows fond of him fast, and when Chanyeol finally gets to his apartment and tries to set him down on the couch so he could go and get him clothes and comforters and food and drink and love and affection he starts crying. Legit crying; not like an adult man in his early twenties would, but like a child. The sound is the type to come haunt Chanyeol in his dreams, pained and terrified, and he squeezes the boy to his chest as tightly as he can to soothe him, swaying them both from side to side. If only he could tell him that everything is going to be alright...

Chanyeol has no choice but to keep on holding on the boy as he shifts through his one bedroom apartment. A hot bath would probably be the most ideal in a situation such as this, a hypothermic kitten in his arms, but Chanyeol has enough common sense to realise that maybe a huge basin of water would be too traumatizing straight away. The boy doesn't smell too bad, the dumpster was mostly full of newspapers, so he can deal with postponing a thorough washing. Chanyeol isn't... well, very crazy about cleanliness, which is easily showcased by the candy wrapping papers everywhere in the apartment and piles of dirty dishes in the sink.

Chanyeol grabs two of his sweaters before he plops down on the bed and gently pries the leather jacket off so he can wrap the boy up in the softer clothes instead. The cat boy is really wearing just a shirt and-

It's not like Chanyeol meant to peek or anything but...

How is it possible for someone to have a dick that small?! It's like the boy's genitalia hasn't hit puberty yet despite the rest of his body being that of a grown man's. It's just... so tiny... And the boy is staring up at him with large wet eyes and Chanyeol really has to snap out of it.

He'll have to investigate that a little later- but not in practice! No! He'll google it--

Once he has the boy dressed more appropriately -although he's still not wearing any pants- and wrapped up in a blanket or two, Chanyeol has no idea how to proceed from that point. The boy seems content to just lie on his arms, head resting on his shoulder and thumb in between his lips, but Chanyeol is sure he should be doing something more than just this.

Feeding the kitten could be a great idea but the question is, how does one feed a kitten boy? With milk, baby food or real human food? Could the wrong type of food do more damage than good? He draws up the comforters to cover up the boy better while he thinks.

After five minutes of thinking he still hasn't gotten anywhere.

But luckily he has friends and better yet, he's not too shy to call them at ungodly hours of the night.

Minseok picks up after ten persistent rings, which is about average for someone who is always asleep at past 4am and works a nine to five job.

”What the heck do you want?”

For a passionate animal lover Minseok sure isn't as friendly as one would expect. The boy seems a bit startled by the new voice coming from Chanyeol' ear region and he stops his rhythmic suckling. Chanyeol doesn't want him to be alarmed but telling him it's okay doesn't change anything. After he starts rocking back and forth the boy seems reassured again.

”Who are you talking to?”

”A cat boy,” Chanyeol replies with a soft sigh, eyes fixed on the neko's face to see his reaction to the conversation going on. He doesn't seem very interested. ”That I found in a dumpster as I was walking home.”

”...those fucking bastards. Does he have a collar?”

Chanyeol checks, although he knows the answer to begin with. ”No... And he's not talking. Or even reacting to what I say. I tried all the languages that I speak, except for whale. I don't think cats speak whale.”

”...You're right, cats don't generally speak whale. Neither do you. Does he look bad?”

The cat boy is actually very, very pretty- But that's probably not what Minseok is after.

”Painfully young,” is what Chanyeol settles for. ”I don't think... he can speak yet? Or even understand someone else speaking.”

Minseok is quiet for a while and Chanyeol wonders if he fell back asleep. When he does speak up however, his voice is dead serious.

”You know, the evils we humans have done to the cat hybrids... The breeding has gone so far that some people have managed to take the ability to talk away from those designed to be the perfect fuck toys. To make sure that they can't make it known they're being treated badly. Other signs of that line of breeding would be a very small cock, like seriously, you can tell that it's way too small to be normal.”

Yes, Chanyeol totally could tell that much. A blush creeps up on his cheeks. The boy looks at him innocently as ever, unaware that the man cradling him is thinking about his genitalia.

”Why would he... not be able to talk?”

A long suffering sigh follows his words. ”The problem is both in the brain and in the vocal cords. Extensive, long term speech therapy can usually give them the ability to speak simple, one syllable words, and they can learn how to read, write and even sign with their hands fluently. It's just so infuriating to see them, rendered so helpless to defend themselves against masters who rape them day in day out!”

Chanyeol can only imagine, and his hold on the boy tightens automatically. He's so glad he decided to stop and check what was the matter... This boy will not end up abused and sexually harassed, he'll make sure of that.

”So uh... What should I feed him? I'm pretty sure he hasn't had a single warm meal in his short life...”

”Warm milk. Something easy to digest a bit later, but start with milk. You do have milk, right? I doubt you have bottles or sippy cups lying around in your apartment, but you can always use a piece of cloth to dip it in and then let him suck that, but that'll be slow. I don't think you can get him to drink from a glass the first time you introduce an object like that to him.”

Minseok is right, Chanyeol doesn't have any baby bottles in his kitchen. Why would he? He's a bachelor, not a single dad- but he does know a single dad who also has a habit to be awake at odd hours of the night, much thanks to his kids. He's quick to hang up on Minseok after promising to call him again in the morning to discuss the kitty situation a bit more, and he then stands up with the boy still on his arms and walks out of the apartment to go and knock on his neighbor's door.

Yixing opens the door looking disheveled but surprisingly awake, and Chanyeol can hear Jongdae babbling in the background even though it's half past four by now. ”Good morning” is his greeting, his voice low and husky but his smile bright as ever. It's what Chanyeol likes about Yixing, he's always just so happy despite how much trouble Jongdae and Jongin give him.

Yixing blatantly stares at the cat boy who in turn refuses to lift his head up from Chanyeol' shoulder. ”You... have a new pet?”

Chanyeol shakes his head and explains the situation. Yixing's face is the epitome of sadness before Chanyeol is even half way through his short tale, and as soon as Chanyeol gets to word his plea for a sippy or a bottle he spins around and disappears into the apartment. The cat boy relaxes noticeably when the stranger is gone although it's beyond Chanyeol why he trusts him so much so soon.

Soon Yixing comes back, this time with a sleepy Jongin hanging onto him much like the neko is onto Chanyeol. In his free hand Yixing is holding a bag that he hands over to Chanyeol before reaching out to ruffle the boy's hair.

The boy really needs a name.

”I put a sippy and a bottle in there, so you can try which works best. And also some liquid baby foods, like, porridge and stuff. I don't have formula anymore so just regular milk will have to do, but the baby food should nourish him and keep hunger away even better. Just come back if you need any help okay, and don't give him anything before you've tested the temperature yourself!”

He thanks Yixing profusely either way before heading back to his own apartment.

The boy picks his head up when the door closes but of course he doesn't say anything, only mews quietly. ”I know, little buddy,” Chanyeol says gently. ”I know. I'm afraid I'll have to put you down though while I'm preparing your food. You're not heavy but I still can't carry you for much longer, and I'll really need to use my hands to warm up your bottle.”

Meow.

Chanyeol is a little eccentric, maybe, and that is why he has an indoor hammock in his apartment. It's kind of like a huge bean bag chair hanging from its corners from the ceiling, very lovely to sink into with a couple of pillows, a comforter and a good book. Chanyeol mostly uses it for napping though, and since rocking calmed the neko down earlier, maybe giving the hammock a good push would keep him content at least for a little while.

”You will be alright,” he keeps repeating to him as he slowly, carefully puts him down in the middle of the thing and while the boy protests a bit with panicked mewls, he doesn't physically fight it and that's good enough. When Chanyeol gives the hammock a push to make it rock, even the soft snivels quiet down and Chanyeol is quick to make a beeline for his kitchen to start working on that bottle of warm milk.

By the time he gets back to his living room the hammock has already stopped moving, but the cat boy seems relatively calm, although he does appear to be delighted to see Chanyeol again.

”See, I didn't leave you,” Chanyeol murmurs quietly as he too gets on the hammock, the cat hybrid tucked to his side.

”Easy...”

Chanyeol makes sure the boy has his head propped up on his shoulder so he won't choke and then wraps his arm securely around his shoulders before slowly bringing the bottle to his lips. The boy opens his mouth readily, clearly smelling the milk, and starts sucking straight away, meowing once before he is immersed in feeding. He's right eye closes half way while the other stays open and that's super adorable, and Chanyeol is just very relieved that he doesn't have to coax him into eating because he would have run out of ideas very quickly. But a hungry kitten would never refuse food he assumes, and uses his foot to push the hammock back to motion.

The bottle Yixing gave him is a big one, since both his boys are quite old already, and so it's a lot of milk. Although the boy no doubt is sucking vigorously it still takes some time for him to finish it all up and once he does, he's just a puddle of goo in Chanyeol' arms.

Chanyeol couldn't be happier with the results.

”I'll get you something more solid in the morning,” he whispers quietly. The gentle rocking of the hammock has made him very sleepy, especially because it's well past his bedtime by now, and the cat boy seems to be on the brink of falling asleep as well.

Chanyeol doesn't bother getting up and transferring them to his bed- they falls asleep like that, in the hammock, curled side by side.

 

*

The next morning...

Meow. Miew.

A pair of small hands knead his chest and a hungry mouth is latched on his nipple, which would be quite erotic if Chanyeol didn't remember even without opening his eyes he went to bed with a two-week-old kitten. He is quick to gently push the cat boy off of him, a bit startled by the situation, but he quickly realises that such behavior is probably simply very natural to the kitten- and nothing sexual at all.

”Let's get you something proper to eat, alright?”

Meow.

It turns out that the cat boy can walk on his own, which is a relief, although his movements are very wobbly and unsure which only serves to confirm Chanyeol' suspicion that he's not very old at all. They make it to the kitchen only after knocking over a few things and Chanyeol makes him sit down by the table.

”I'll give you some porridge now, okay? I think you need something... sturdier than milk. Sound good?”

The cat boy is now way more alert than he was last night (Chanyeol is anything but alert- it's 11am, a time when he's always asleep normally) and he seems to try his darnest to figure out why Chanyeol is making all these noises. Chanyeol has no idea how to teach someone to speak, or how to understand speech, but maybe he'll have to approach this from the cave man point of view.

”Chanyeol.” He points at himself with both hands. ”Chanyeol.”

The cat boy's eyes widen and he lifts up a hand hesitantly to point at Chanyeol as well. ”Chh.”

”Yes, Chanyeol!” Chanyeol nods vigorously, a wide smile on his lips. ”Chanyeol. I'm Chanyeol.” He reaches into the M&M's bowl he has on his counter and gives the boy one as a reward, who seems impossibly fascinated by the taste of chocolate.

”Chh!”

”Chanyeol. I'm Chanyeol.” Another M&M. ”Chanyeol hyung.”

A few more tries later Chanyeol decides that it's best he focuses on getting 'hyung' right- the boy is already quite close, although when he breathes it out it sounds very sexual; but at least it's almost a word, and that's good!

It seems like the boy is very, very clever though, and just like Minseok said, the problem lies with his ability to form words rather than to pick them up. He soon learns to recognize words like 'bottle', 'milk' and 'porridge', and Chanyeol is more than happy with that. It's a start.

Maybe teaching him how to sign is the best choice.

The neko refuses to hold his own bottle, and Chanyeol assumes that it's because he wants to be nursed. Chanyeol holding him close and offering the bottle to him is as close to breast feeding as they can get and well, the satisfaction he gets as he watches the boy suckle so earnestly is definitely worth the small hassle. Watching someone enjoy their food so much... It really makes him speechless with awe and adoration for the small little thing.

Chanyeol has already grown fond of the hybrid, and he has settled that he will keep providing for him... As long as he needs to, really, however long that might be. He might not be the best care giver ever, but the hybrid seems happy with him thus far and Chanyeol most certainly doesn't want to leave him to a shelter where anyone could adopt him and take him home.

”You need a name though,” Chanyeol muses as he's chewing through his own breakfast, the kitten still curled up against him. Naming the neko seems like a big responsibility but on the other hand... natural. Pets have names and humans have names, and Chanyeol feels very protective of the neko. He deserves a name as much as anyone.

”Junmyeon.” He points a finger at the hybrid. How that name crossed his mind first, he's not entirely sure- he doesn't know any Junmyeons, but he has always fancied the name. ”Junmyeon.”

”Jo?”

”Junmyeon.”

”Jo.”

”Junmyeon. Junmyeon. C'mon, you can do it.”

Ten minutes later they've gotten to 'Jo' to turn into something that sounds like 'Jun', and well, that's good enough. Minseok did say that most likely Jun wouldn't be able to get to two syllables at once... Chanyeol will really have to look into sign language, soon.

Once they both have their bellies full, Chanyeol ushers Jun to his bathroom. This could get tricky or even dangerous, in case Jun has claws, but he really has no choice but to bathe him.

It turns out that indeed, Chanyeol has to manhandle Jun into the bathtub and bodily hold him there until he calms down enough to realise that nothing bad is happening to him and woah, the warm water is actually super nice on his cold feet and hands. By then half of the bath water is on Chanyeol and on the floor, but Chanyeol considers it a victory all the same. At least the cat boy is in the tub now. Scrubbing him clean is easy after that and Chanyeol makes sure to reward him with more M&M's to make this a good overall experience.

Junmyeon is even paler than Chanyeol originally thought; his skin is marble white and just as smooth once the dirt is washed off. His hair is a very pretty shade of ashy blond that obviously looks fake when combined with his Asian facial features but it suits him very well. The rest of his body is completely hairless, even his armpits and groin area (not that Chanyeol paid particular attention to that- he just had to get the boy thoroughly clean, is all!). He also doesn't have claws; he doesn't scratch at Chanyeol at any point, although he did make a feeble attempt at biting his shoulder at first.

It would make sense that fuck toys wouldn't have claws to defend themselves with.

Dressed in Chanyeol' shirt and sleep pants he looks cute enough to be a doll. A very badly dressed doll.

”And... now what do we do?”

Junmyeon smiles at him so so innocently- and the next thing he knows, the kitten has bounced a dirty sock that was lying on the floor and is now facing its bloody death in the hands of the neko.

A lonely sock is a cheap price to pay for this kind of amusement.

*

Minseok comes over a bit later in the day, and Junmyeon has by then exhausted himself enough to first settle down in the hammock with his bottle and then fall asleep, still suckling on the tip of the bottle even if it's entirely empty. Chanyeol finds the sight so heart-wrenching that it's hard for him to leave the boy to even get the door.

Minseok's eyes are full of frustration as he looks at Junmyeon while listening to Chanyeol' explanation of what he has discovered about the kitten so far.

”Definitely a fuck toy,” is his final judgment. “Hard to say why he got thrown out- maybe it was too many kittens, too many mouths to feed, who knows.”

Minseok is pretty knowledgeable when it comes to cat hybrids and how they're generally treated. Chanyeol usually zones out whenever he's talking about animal rights, not because he doesn't care but because it gets so depressing so quickly, and one wrong word can make Minseok extremely mad and for a small man he sure is freaking scary when he wants to be. But now he's listening with rapt attention- he wants to know everything he possibly can.

”You do realise though that you have to commit to Jun basically for the rest of his life, if you want to keep him?” Minseok asks him, eyes boring into Chanyeol' heart and soul. ”The life span of fuck toys is not always very long but if we get lucky, he'll live a long happy life. You must understand the gravity of this, though; I rather take him to someone who can offer him a permanent home than let him grow attached to you for nothing. That little thing would probably die from sorrow if he was ever sent away from your home.”

Chanyeol glances at Junmyeon, who is still sleeping soundly, unaware that they're making such big decision about his future right next to him. The kitten wouldn't even understand them even if he was awake and even if he could understand Korean, he wouldn't have a way to express himself and tell them what he wants. Junmyeon is a child in many ways yet he is not, he's a pet but he's not, and the whole issue is just very complicated. Who knows what kind of health complications he'll have? How long he'll live? What he'll be able to do and what not?

Can Chanyeol even take care of someone like that?

But it all doesn't matter, he realises as he keeps looking at the hybrid. Junmyeon trusts him already... And there is something about the way that he clings to him, looks up at him, relies on him that makes it impossible for Chanyeol to back down now. He might learn to regret this decision later but right now there is nothing he wants as much as to take care of the cat boy. Should Junmyeon later, once he has learnt how to sign, insist that he wants to live independently or find a new master Chanyeol would have to give in but until then he will do his best and try his hardest to make him happy. 

”I will give him a home.”

*

What little supplies Yixing gave them last night won't tide them over very far, and Minseok insisted before he left that Chanyeol takes Jun out as much as possible so he can get used to seeing people and walking amongst them, even if learning how to communicate with them will be a struggle. So the grocery store is on the list first, and they'll work their way from there. Chanyeol will have to take him with him to work tonight though- there's no leaving Jun alone at this point, not when he can't explain to him that he's going to be back and what he's supposed to do while the master of the house is gone.

As Minseok advised, Chanyeol keeps talking to Junmyeon slowly while pronouncing everything carefully to make the process of learning to understand speech faster. He downloaded an app on his phone where he can check for the hand signs for each word he's using, and Jun is really picking it all up very fast. The conversation is slow, however, and so it takes a while before Chanyeol is sure Junmyeon understands that they'll go out now- to 'milk', as Junmyeon seems to understand it, but that's close enough. He gets him changed into the clothes Minseok brought with him (they don't fit him properly- he's too skinny) and then leads him through the door.

As soon as they venture outside it's very clear that Junmyeon is afraid. There are people everywhere, some of them do actually stare at them, and it must be overwhelming. But Chanyeol drapes his arm over his shoulders and keeps repeating 'it's alright' until Jun believes it. His ears slowly perk up again and his tail starts moving, and Chanyeol takes that as a silent green light. Slowly, since Jun is not very steady on his feet, they make their way to the grocery store just down the block.

At the grocery store Jun is... much like a child. He has a hard time keeping his hands to himself and obviously he really has trouble grasping the fact that yes, there really is this much food in this world and it's all within his reach. Eventually Chanyeol has to give in and hand him an apple to slowly munch on as they walk, otherwise there'd be no stopping him from raiding every box that looks appealing. To Jun the apple is like the eighth wonder of the world and it does keep him occupied (mostly by being so hard to bite into) until Chanyeol has paid for everything and packed the groceries and other necessities in bags.

Their way home is not by any means faster, but at least Jun seems a tiny bit more at ease with the crowd around them. He still stays closely tucked to Chanyeol' side, clutching on his half an apple with both hands like someone might reach out to take it away at any given moment.

*

At Chanyeol' work place Junmyeon opts to hold on to Chanyeol with two fingers pushed through one of his belt loops. He's like a very warm and very concrete shadow as he pads after Chanyeol while he tries to work, and the looks he gets from the customers are both amused, weirded out and concerned, but at least his coworkers are understanding of the situation and do their best to communicate with Jun and to befriend him. The cat boy warms up to them very slowly, and he keeps meowing in distress whenever they get too close, but slowly he allows them closer.

By the end of his shift Chanyeol finds Junmyeon finally detached from him, sitting on a stool and allowing the girls to pet his ears. The purrs he makes are the most adorable sound ever. He has been fed nearly all of the milk in the cafe and he almost falls into Chanyeol' arms from the stool, purring lazily and unwilling to stand on his two feet.

At home, he insists on sleeping curled up against Chanyeol, hands pushed beneath his shirt and legs tangled together. It's a bit too warm like this, but Jun's breathing evens out in record time and before Chanyeol knows it, the hybrid is fast asleep.

Chanyeol can't say he dislikes it all.

*

Junmyeon is obviously very clever, and only his inability to learn how to talk is holding him back. Once he gets the hang of signing, he learns new sign marks each and every day, but there's a lot aside from communication that he has to learn. And to be honest, Chanyeol very much enjoys watching him learn and teaching him- Junmyeon is just so cute and precious, and sometimes he is pretty hilarious too, although he hardly ever intends that to happen.

Like his first experience with the microwave.

Jun is extremely fascinated as Chanyeol pops a plateful of mashed peas on a plate inside (it turns out that feeding Jun just milk leads to a very, very hungry cat boy) and presses the on button- the food is spinning! But why is the food in that box and not in front of him? Junmyeon doesn't get it, but he doesn't have the word to express it although he sure does try, with a lot of flailing and hurried little sounds that make Chanyeol smile despite how seriously he takes Junmyeon's confusion. He begins to explain what he's doing, but then the microwave beeps as the time on the timer runs out, and Junmyeon practically leaps out of his skin and then rushes to scramble on Chanyeol' arms, meowing pitifully.

It shouldn't be funny, but it is.

The next day Junmyeon explores his wardrobe and stumbles upon his winter jacket, which he falls in love with right away. Jun is really fond of warmth, Chanyeol has already learnt, and the big, thick jacket with a fur lining around the hood swallows the kitten entirely and allows him to bundle up until only the tip of his tail is peeking out. It's probably ridiculously hot to wear that inside when it's not even winter yet, but the cat boy just purrs and rolls around happily as ever.

Chanyeol allows him to enjoy himself until it comes time for him to leave for work. Since Jun still can't be truly trusted by himself for such a long period of time (and because Chanyeol doesn't have the heart to leave him behind when even him going to the bathroom by himself results in a fierce hug attack upon his return) Chanyeol has to get him to come with him, but that's not possible if the cat boy is so preoccupied by the coat.

It takes a can of tuna and a handful of M&M's to lure him out of it, and Chanyeol has to give him a thick jumper to wear as a substitute.

As much as he's learning, Jun absolutely refuses to feed himself though- Chanyeol thinks he's doing it on purpose, after a week or two. He seems to soak up the attention he gets much like he accepts the food and it really isn't a problem for Chanyeol to keep doing that. He rather likes the peaceful moments they have together, huddled close on the hammock or on the couch as Chanyeol either holds the bottle for him or feeds him spoonfuls of his food. He is always rewarded with an abundance of kisses, licks, purrs and head butts and yeah that is totally not bad at all when he has a lapful of happy kitty beaming at him like he's the best thing in the wide world.

He probably is, Chanyeol has to admit even though usually he's very humble.

And it's pretty obvious that while Jun is a lot of work, he's... very, very precious.

*

Grocery shopping and going to the night cafe quickly become the norm, but eventually Chanyeol has to take Jun out for shopping. He can't keep wearing Minseok's clothes forever (and that's not just because Minseok needs them back but because Chanyeol isn't all that into the print tshirts and hoodies with awareness raising statements on them that Minseok always wears) and it's going to be an important experience for him.

Giving Junmyeon words has... been an interesting journey over the almost two weeks that he has now lived with Chanyeol. Chanyeol has had to learn the sign language along with him but it really hasn't been a problem since Jun's pace at learning isn't inhumanely fast, and it's extremely rewarding. First it's just the most simple things, the names of different things, but eventually Jun learns how to string them together with verbs and even adjectives and then individual words start forming phrases. They're not very long but they make sense, and Jun is both elated and slightly shocked at the possibility of actually expressing what he wants or needs. Not that he lived for long without this skill but it's still very groundbreaking for someone who was never meant to acquire the know how.

It's still relatively slow, but at least Chanyeol can now explain to Jun that they're going to go clothes shopping to a very big store downtown. Using the word 'mall' is still a bit out of Junmyeon's league- at least until he actually sees the building.

Jun starts bouncing around as soon as he gets the message. ”Fun!” he pipes up. His voice has kept its breathy tone and Chanyeol assumes that it's just one more thing to add to his list of fuck toy qualities- it's probably supposed to sound arousing and well yeah it is too, Chanyeol is not going to lie. But it's also very cute.

He likes to stress the latter rather than the first adjective when he thinks about the hybrid because... He doesn't want to go there. Even though his dick already kind of has.

How is it his fault when Junmyeon has been bred to be the most beautiful, desirable, attractive creature on Earth?

”Yeah, it's going to be fun. We can go and get ice cream too! You like ice cream, right?” Junmyeon agress with a nod, although his true love are warm desserts rather than cold ones. But ice cream is just too awesome for him not to like it. It is made out of milk after all!

To get to the mall they have to take the subway and... it's not the best idea Chanyeol has had in all his life. Junmyeon is practically trying to climb him on the way to the escalators with the way he keeps pushing closer and closer to him, and his blunt human nails are still pretty painful when they dig into his arm like that. But now at least Jun can understand Chanyeol when he tells him that it's going to be alright and no one is going to hurt him, the people are just passing them by. They walk through the entrance and then take the escalator underground, which both fascinates and terrifies Junmyeon because aren't stairs supposed to be still? They get through it just fine though, and in the quickly moving crowd Chanyeol can really only stear Jun to the right direction and hope to get out of there as soon as possible.

But the throngs of people pressing closer and closer to them as they squeeze into the subway do not make Jun comfortable and eventually he is literally standing in between Chanyeol' legs, face buried in his chest and skinny arms holding him tight. And he's crying, too- his shoulders are shaking and Chanyeol can hear his whines and cries, the sound very much like a cat would make rather than that of human's.

”I am so, so sorry...”

But Jun's vocabulary doesn't include the word sorry yet and so his apology means nothing to him. Chanyeol sweeps him off his feet as soon as it's their stop and carries him out despite the disapproving glances he gets. Junmyeon's happiness and comfort are way more important than some business men and teenagers hissing and cussing at them for taking more space than they should.

Chanyeol rushes them to the nearest toilet he can find so they can have a bit of peace and quiet. Chanyeol doesn't really know what else to do but keep holding and rocking Jun until he falls quiet.

”Hyung is sorry... Hyung didn't realise it would freak you out so bad. Hyung should have told you how it would be like... Can you forgive hyung?”

'What does that mean' signs Jun slowly, hiccupping quietly. Chanyeol has to fish out his phone to check the proper sign for 'forgive' with the app that Minseok found for him.

”It means that you... Hyung made a mistake and made you sad. And that's not alright. And now hyung is saying sorry. It means that hyung knows he made a mistake and he didn't want to hurt you. It means now hyung... Hyung wants to know that we can still be friends. That you forgive hyung. That... That you won't be mad about hyung's mistake and will let hyung make it up for you.”

Explaining abstract words and concepts to Junmyeon is an interesting situation. It's exciting, but it also makes Chanyeol wish he was a poet with a knack for these things. That he was better with his words. He usually opts for explaining things like he would to Yixing's kids if they ever bother him with weird questions but what both helps and confuses things more is that Jun is no child; he is highly intelligent like any other adult would be. Sometimes Chanyeol' explanations are just not satisfying to him.

This one, though, seems to work. Junmyeon insists on Chanyeol putting him down and he then looks up at the tall man, hands on his shoulders, and then tiptoes to eskimo kiss him. Jun is always very affectionate but this kind of face to face intimacy is totally new-- but then Jun already pulls away to sign with his hands. 'I forgive. Hyung didn't mean bad. I know hyung wanted to take me out shopping. Next time it will be okay.'

Jun hesitates for a moment before he slowly signs again. 'I will always be hyung's friend. I like hyung. Hyung is family.'

Chanyeol scoops him up to the tightest embrace that he can without crushing the poor boy.

And they actually do have fun shopping.

*

Jun grows up very quickly. No potential buyer would be willing to wait months, let alone years, before being able to fully enjoy their newest toy. That is why Jun soon reaches full adulthood in all physical aspects as well as mental. Sometimes Chanyeol feels like he's motion blind; every time he wakes up Jun has changed in a very subtle yet obvious way. One day he drinks milk from a bottle, the next he says that it doesn't really fill up his tummy anymore and he'd rather have just solids. One day he is too clumsy (or at least pretends to be) to feed himself, the next he has already mastered the art of using a spoon. The list goes on.

But his personality shows in the way he insists Chanyeol takes care of him. He prefers being fed rather than eating by himself, he wants Chanyeol to lull him to sleep, and he instinctively sucks on his thumb every time he does fall asleep. He keeps invading Chanyeol' personal space and even though he's clearly very proud of himself for achieving little bits of independence, like being able to put on his clothes without help, he still very much needs the attention and care he gets when he's being babied.

Chanyeol is sure that this is called spoiling him rotten but he lets Jun have his way. It's not like he hates indulging him like this- he actually thrives from being needed as much as Jun soaks up the attention.

*

Eventually Chanyeol figures it's time he lets Jun stay in the apartment while he goes to work. He knows staying up that late doesn't do him well and it gets boring for him to just sit around while Chanyeol is working. He explains this to Jun, who seems a bit hesitant about the change. In the end, he agrees to it.

It physically hurts Chanyeol to walk out the door after a final glance at the kitten who is curled up on the sofa, watching him go with big, wide eyes.

His shift can't end soon enough and he practically jogs all the way home to get to Jun quicker. What he comes home to... Is pretty much what he expected to find.

It seems like both of their closets (which means about 80 per cent of the clothes is Chanyeol'- he's crazy about fashion and style and on the other hand Jun doesn't own a lot of stuff yet) have been emptied on the floor. The clothes are strewn all over the place and some look like they've been used for cat nests that have been abandoned a bit later. Some of his oldest clothes have been nibbled on, too, or at least that's what Chanyeol assumes the wet spots are. He takes a look at the bathroom- at least it's clean.

The kitchen isn't in a very good condition either. He left Jun a plate of food for the evening, knowing it would tide him over his shift very well, and Jun clearly has eaten most of it too, but what hasn't made it to his mouth is on the table, smushed or smeared. There are two broken glasses on the floor, the countertop is covered in juice and the fridge has been left slightly ajar.

The bedroom has the same chaos of clothes and linen going on, but the kitten is still nowhere to be seen. ”Jun?” Chanyeol calls out, careful. He doesn't want the cat boy to think he's angry because he most definitely isn't. This can be all cleaned up and then all is good again.

A soft noise coming from the closet directs Chanyeol to pull the doors open. On the bottom is a huge pile of clothes, and in the middle there is a frightened kitty face peering up at him, ears pressed flat to his skull.

Chanyeol drops to his knees and pulls Jun out, who lets out a quiet mewl. 'I'm sorry' is signed at him several times before Chanyeol grabs him by the wrists and kisses the back of his hand.

”Hyung is not upset,” he promises. ”Hyung forgives. Was it scary to be alone?”

'Scary. And boring too.'

”I see. I think we can fix the boring, but do you think we can fix the scary?”

'I was just so alone.'

Hmm. Well, now that he mentions it, how would have Chanyeol contacted Jun if something came up, or vice versa? Jun can't talk well enough to express himself over the phone... Not that he even has one.

”We will get you a smart phone. We can have video calls! So you can sign for me and I can talk to you. Would that make the scary go away?”

Jun chews on his lower lip for a while as he thinks, and he then leans closer to peck Chanyeol on the mouth. 'It would.'

Chanyeol does his best to put Jun to bed as per usual, but long after the kitten has fallen asleep on top of him he lies awake, fingertips pressed to his mouth. Why did Jun do that? He shouldn't know anything about such... mature things. Has he ever even seen two people kiss? Does he know what it means? It was a completely innocent gesture, he gets that, just a simple peck, but it's still startling.

For the most part Jun acts and behaves like any other cat hybrid that Chanyeol has ever met, and his fuck toy breeding doesn't really stand out save for his inability to speak and his tiny little cock that Chanyeol sees every time he dresses him... But was it his breeding doing the talking when he aimed for Chanyeol' mouth rather than his cheek?

He will have to find out later. Now... He needs sleep. And there is really nothing that could keep him awake other than solid cuteness when Jun is snuggled so close to him, breathing quietly through his nose, fingers curled into the material of Chanyeol' shirt, ears flicking and tail moving behind him occasionally.

*

”His sexual urges are probably very strong,” Minseok tells him the next day as they chat over the phone. Chanyeol told Jun he'd run to the store real quick and be right back, just so he could have this conversation.

”Even at this age?”

”Yeah... It's confusing to both him and everyone else. He's just a few weeks old but adult at the same time. I'd be amazed by what science has been able to create if it wasn't so wrong in so many ways.”

Chanyeol has found himself agreeing to Minseok's passionate animal rights activism more and more as time passes on. He's afraid that before he knows he'll be wearing those print tshirts with weird slogans on them as well.

”So what do you recommend that I do next?”

Of course the right answer is that he doesn't touch Jun, and really, on a certain level he doesn't even want to. But Jun is... very irresistible. All white skin, soft curves, flexible limbs, tinkling laughter, nimble fingers, sensual movements. Chanyeol hasn't had regular sex for a long, long time and it's hard not to notice these things.

Minseok sighs heavily. ”I'd tell you to keep your dick to yourself but the thing is that Jun will probably suffer from not having any sexual pleasure. It's what he was engineered for and while some activists want to deny it entirely... It's just the truth that can't be ignored. He needs it way more than a regular person does and it'd be cruel not to give him what he craves for, when he starts to crave for it. A simple peck is not exactly a sign of that yet. But you could just get him toys.”

Oh, yeah. Sex toys. Chanyeol owns a few of those himself and getting Jun some would probably be a smart move. That way Jun could choose how he gets the pleasure and stimulation his body and psyche need so badly without being forced to go for Chanyeol and his penis.

Chanyeol wants to slap himself for not thinking about it on his own.

And maybe Jun would need a few toys for more innocent purposes as well, Chanyeol decides as he walks back to the apartment and Jun comes running back to him. He must be just utterly bored. It also wouldn't hurt to teach Jun how to operate his laptop and tv, at least well enough to be able to keep himself entertained.

He starts with his laptop, carefully showing the hybrid how to turn it on and then how to browse the internet. The first thing they do is go to an online store that specializes in cat hybrid toys and Chanyeol lets Jun pick as many as he wants because well, spoiling him rotten is definitely on his list of things to do in the near future. He will never let that smile die from Jun's face.

It doesn't take long before Jun has mastered the art of using a laptop efficiently enough, and the tv is a piece of cake after that.

When Chanyeol comes home that evening, he finds his apartment in much better shape than last time. It's as tidy as he left it, and Jun is curled on the couch with a duvet pulled up to his nose. He's sleeping with the tv on, and Chanyeol walks right up to him to press soft kisses from his forehead down to his temple, hand stroking along his shoulders and back comfortingly. Jun doesn't stir but flexes his back a bit before melting against the couch, purring ever so softly.

Coming home to this is better than anything else could ever be.

*

Chanyeol really means to bring up the matter of sex toys and Jun's possible arising sexual urges, but before he has time to do that something totally else happens that takes his attention from the issue completely.

Jun falls sick.

It's probably just the usual flu going around but it hits the kitten very, very hard. He doesn't strike Chanyeol as the strong and healthy type to begin with, and he's still so young his immune system has not encountered anything like this ever before. While all Chanyeol gets is a stuffy nose, Junmyeon gets very, very sick.

It starts one evening by Chanyeol coming home to find Jun fitfully asleep on their bed (because where else would the kitten sleep, and Jun absolutely hates sleeping by himself anyway), a slight sheen of sweat glistening on his upper lip and temples, tail waving in discomfort and a deep frown on his face. When Chanyeol touches his forehead it's way hotter than it should, and that's enough to make the man upset- he doesn't want his baby kitty to be in pain or suffer in his care.

The thing is, though, that Chanyeol has never taken care of anyone whilst they're sick. Whenever he falls ill he just sleeps through it, surviving on ordering chicken soup home and tea he brews whenever he feels strong enough to roll out of bed. And it doesn't happen very often, he's healthy as can be and usually recovers in a matter of days.

It's clear already that Jun is not going to be like him.

Chanyeol shakes him awake as gently as he can, smoothing away his sweat matted hair from his face. Jun blinks at him groggily but makes a happy, gurgly sound anyway at the sight of his 'master'. The cough that follows is way less adorable, and it pains Chanyeol to the very core of his heart to hear it rip through Jun's lungs and throat.

”When did you start feeling like this? You should have called me, love. I would have come home sooner to take care of you.”

'I just thought I'd sleep.'

Chanyeol sighs and leans down to give Jun's forehead an affectionate peck. ”Rest is good when you're sick, that's true. And I'm home now. I'll make you feel better, okay? Does it hurt anywhere?”

Jun points first at his eyes, then his throat, chest, tummy and then flails a bit.

”You're sore everywhere, huh? That happens with fever, sometimes... I will get you some medicine, alright? You'll have to be a good boy for me and take your medicine, otherwise you won't get any better.”

'I promise.'

It soon turns out that Chanyeol' cabinets don't really hold any medicine for curing a flu. He has painkillers and some old antibiotics, but he reckons those won't take him very far. At this hour he has only one choice left and that's Yixing- but at least he knows that a, Yixing adores Jun (he has seen the kitten once or twice already when they ran into each other in the staircase) and b, he must have something that will make Jun better.

This time Yixing has a screeching Jongdae on his arms when he comes to get the door, but his eyes are still so kind when he looks at Chanyeol, bouncing the screaming child on his hip. ”I fear nothing very pleasant brings you here at this hour,” he greets.

”Do you have any medicine for flu?”

And yes, of course Yixing has. He's not an irresponsible father- unlike me, Chanyeol thinks. How could I forget to prepare for something like this for fuck's sake, he curses himself while thanking his neighbour profusely for his help.

”I will babysit the kids for you with Jun once he gets better, so you can have a proper rest,” he promises.

Yixing's eyes darken with gratefulness, and he nods his head slowly to acknowledge Chanyeol' promise before he closes the door.

It can't be easy to support those two boys and take care of them at the same time.

Chanyeol doesn't waste any time in hurrying back to his own apartment, but the first stop he makes is in the bathroom where he wets a cloth (this is all according to Yixing's instructions and hell, he has kept his boys alive for a few years so how wrong can he possibly be), then walks to the kitchen to fill up a sippy cup with chocolate milk (Jun has outgrown sippies a while ago, but Chanyeol figures that it'll be easier to drink from than a regular glass), and only after that he makes his way to his bedroom where Jun has curled up into a even tighter ball under the covers.

It takes a moment of coaxing to get the kitten to sit up, head resting against Chanyeol' shoulder. He's clearly a bit grumpy but also exhausted; it's late, and he probably hasn't slept very well at all.

First Chanyeol wipes the sweat from his face with the cool cloth, and then folds it on his forehead to help him cool down a bit. He then screws open the first bottle, and pours out two pills that are meant to ease Jun's fever.

”Now, I want you to just swallow these, okay? I'll put them on your tongue and then give you a good sip from your cup and you'll just swallow them down. It's easy. You can do it.”

Jun nods feebly and opens his mouth, pushing his tongue out so Chanyeol can place the pills on it. He makes a brief face before Chanyeol lifts the cup to his lips and he struggles with swallowing for a moment, but eventually manages. The cough syrup goes down much in the same way.

”My poor kitten...”

And while Chanyeol tries not to show it, he is beside himself. Jun is precious, someone he wants to protect and now he is sick. It might be just the flu but... Well yeah, maybe he's overreacting. Maybe.

After the medication kicks in Jun is quick to fall asleep, propped up on the pillows so he can breathe easier through all the thick snot in his nose and throat, and Chanyeol is exhausted enough to follow him to the dreamland as soon as he's sure his kitten is comfortable again.

The next morning he regrets thinking that he was overreacting because he certainly was not. Jun is burning up and when he opens his eyes they don't focus; he's delirious, his skin clammy all over, shaking from cold even though he's scalding hot to the touch, coughing and wheezing. He doesn't whine though, and when Chanyeol asks him if he can hear him he replies with a steady nod.

'Thirsty.'

Chanyeol bolts out of bed to go fill his sippy.

The following day is agonizing; Chanyeol can't and won't leave Jun's side, and he only makes a quick stop at Yixing's to ask for some baby food that he can easily feed his little patient. Yixing promises that Chanyeol can ask him to do his groceries and such any time, because he knows just how impossible it is to leave a sick child alone, and Chanyeol' smile has never been as grateful as it is before he has to run back to Jun.

The hammock seems to help Jun get more comfortable, and he mostly just sleeps even though it's clear his rest is very shallow. Chanyeol tries to keep him hydrated and feed him as much food as he'll accept, and make sure he gets his medication regularly.

Jun doesn't whine or complain. Maybe it's because he's just simply knocked out- or maybe it's because that's just how he is. Chanyeol would like to think it's the latter because he hates to think that the kitty is too sick to even express how ill he feels.

When he's not feeding him or coaxing him to accept the meds, Chanyeol just lies with Jun and strokes his back and hair, scratching at his ears. He hangs one leg over the edge of the hammock to kick the ground occasionally to get the hammock moving; Jun gets fuzzy whenever the gentle rocking stops. Jun is still burning with fever and sweat glistens on his pasty skin. Chanyeol does his best to make him more comfortable by keeping a cold cloth on his forehead, but Jun seems to appreciate the warmth of his body more than that.

The day passes slowly, each hour stretching on and on. Chanyeol can hear each ragged breath Jun inhales, feel each rise of his chest against his, feel each toss and turn as the kitten can't get entirely comfortable. The medication helps him stay asleep but it's not enough to take the discomfort away... And each cough is loud and piercing in Chanyeol' ears as he just prays for a quick recovery, his little kitten is not meant to suffer like this.

'Hyung.' When Jun signs, he's too tired to lift his hands up so Chanyeol could see them. Instead he signs against Chanyeol' chest or belly, hands drawing the familiar patterns against his clothed skin. It works.

”What is it, baby?”

The pet name slips through his lips without him even noticing.

'Tell a story.'

Jun is on his way to become a very spoiled kitty- Chanyeol doesn't have it in him to refuse. And so he goes through all the fairytales he can remember, and funny stories from his childhood; Jun's shoulders shake with both laughter and coughs as he listens.

'I like your voice.'

*

The night, however, doesn't really come. It's just the same haze of being half asleep, half awake; listening to Jun cough, feeling his forehead for his temperature, trying to get him to drink something and take the pills or cough syrup, helping him sit up when the coughing fits get to be too much, holding up a tissue to his nose so he can blow it, carrying him to the bathroom to pee. This repeats... and repeats...

And then it's already morning but Jun is only sicker than he was 24 hours ago. This is when Chanyeol starts to worry; it's obvious Jun's condition is plummeting and he's feeling a bit scared.

What if he loses the little ball of cute and affectionate?

A quick call to Yixing leads him to calling someone called Byun Baekhyun, who is a doctor that works in a private clinic and actually makes those old fashioned house calls whenever his patients need him to; he's the one who Yixing relies on whenever Jongin or Jongdae get very sick because Yixing doesn't want to take them to the scary hospital where they'd have to possibly wait for hours before seeing a scary doctor. It's too traumatizing for little kids.

Doctor Byun promises immediately to come by as soon as he possibly can, and so Chanyeol quickly changes into a clean shirt to at least appear a bit less unkempt. By the time he comes back to the living room Jun is whining loudly, shifting restlessly on the hammock and attempting to push himself up. Chanyeol rushes to him and pushes him down, settling on top of him for a moment to just get him to realise he's back. The fever has gotten so high that the cat hybrid is not completely aware of his surroundings anymore.

After a moment of feeble struggling Junmyeon settles down again, and then his lips wrap around the collar of his shirt to suckle on it like a baby.

'Hyung. My hyung', his fingers draw on Chanyeol' chest.

”Hyung is here.” Chanyeol rolls them around so that it's Jun on top; he wouldn't want to squish him. ”A doctor will come soon to see you and help you feel better.”

'I want hyung. Kisses.'

Chanyeol swallows thickly. Kisses are a complicated topic right now... But Jun lifts his head up to blink at him blearily and his eyes are glossy with silent tears and no, there's no way Chanyeol could refuse him. He presses Jun's head down with a hand on the back of his head and starts kissing his forehead, then down his temple... across the apple of his cheek, the tip of his nose, upper lip... the corner of his mouth, chin, up the other side of his face along his jawline. Just small, warm pecks with his lips slightly parted. Jun's skin tastes a bit salty and there's a bit of musk there too, but it's a pleasant mixture.

Jun purrs even through all the snot clogging up his airways, although the sound is very, very quiet. His ears droop down but it's not an unhappy gesture and he practically melts in Chanyeol' arms.

'I love hyung's kisses.'

Chanyeol hesitates for a moment and then... slowly, ever so slowly leans close enough to peck Jun on the lips. It's a gentle but not chaste gesture and he lets it linger a bit more than a mere peck should but when even the last tension seeps out from Jun's body he knows it was the right thing to do.

The only thing that hurts a wee bit is that he's not sure if Junmyeon really wants him to kiss him or if he just needs kisses because of his own genetics and hormones.

Jun wouldn't use him, but maybe he was just designed to want Chanyeol...

But Chanyeol shakes those thoughts away and begins to comb his long fingers through the neko's matted hair, keeping him soothed and quiet until the doorbell rings.

Dr. Byun is a rather short man, at least from Chanyeol' perspective, but his presence takes up a lot more space than his body does. He's smiling brightly as he enters and greets Chanyeol with a firm handshake, before he kicks off his shoes and nods towards the apartment. ”So, where is my patient?”

Chanyeol likes that, likes knowing the doctor takes this... personally.

The young doctor doesn't seem very taken aback when he sees Jun, and he quickly lays his large bag on the coffee table to start sorting through it for the items he'll need all the while asking Chanyeol questions regarding Jun's general health and condition over the past 48 hours. He listens carefully, or at least that's the impression he gives, and Chanyeol is immediately more assured that everything will be okay. This man knows what he's doing- or, so Yixing told him. Surely his neighbour wouldn't tell him to resort to an incompetent doctor.

The examination doesn't take a lot of time, especially when Jun is too weak to resist anything that's done to him, and Dr. Byun can soon prescribe him the suitable medication. ”Lots of rest, hearty food as much as he'll eat and love should get him back up on his feet in a couple of days,” he assures Chanyeol and pats him on the arm. ”You're doing a great job, just continue that and you'll be fine.”

It's surprisingly... relieving to hear someone say that he can take care of Jun just fine. Chanyeol has had his doubts, especially with this sexual tension happening, so it matters a lot that Dr. Byun thinks that way. Minseok would probably despise him to hell and back if he found out what has been going through Chanyeol' mind...

”Doctor,” he says as the man is packing his bag. ”How far... Do you know how mature Jun is, exactly? Because he has grown up so quickly and I'm not quite sure- if he's an adult or not?”

Byun Baekhyun laughs at his question, clearly a bit amused by it. ”Well, from what I can tell,” he says after a pause, ”he's pretty mature as is. When his first heat hits he has definitely fully matured. Until then, though, he can be viewed as still growing kitty. Have a good day, mister Park.”

*

Doctor Byun, as one would hope, is right, and Junmyeon heals pretty fast after that- although it's clear he's thoroughly enjoying the babying. Chanyeol doesn't have a heart to deny him anything after what he thinks was a near death experience, and he easily does things for the neko Jun used to do by himself already. But it's alright; it makes him happy to see Jun enjoying himself so much, and he's always rewarded with thankful kitten licks and cuddles. And kisses, too, but those Chanyeol doesn't want to think about so much...

*

They're taking a bath together, a few days after Junmyeon finally got out of bed rest. Chanyeol has this evening off and so they're... having some quality time, one could say. Jun does a very good job at washing his back and hair for him, and hey, they're conserving water this way too! Totally innocent- except that Chanyeol hasn't really stopped thinking about Jun's approaching, mysterious heat after the doctor mentioned it.

But apparently Jun doesn't have just innocent thoughts either, because out of the blue he taps Chanyeol on the nose to get his attention, and then signs quickly: 'Why is your that bigger than mine?' He then points at Chanyeol' groin, since well, Chanyeol hasn't really taught him the word penis yet.

Chanyeol has the modesty to blush but Jun has none; it's just one more body part to him. After closing and opening his mouth a couple of times Chanyeol finally gathers his wits about him to answer. ”Well, I'm bigger than you in every way... And you're not an adult yet. Penis is what you mostly use when you're mature. And... kittens don't have big... penises.”

Jun tilts his head and leans closer to get a better look first at his own penis, then Chanyeol'. 'What do you do with it when you're an adult?'

Definitely a question that is going to be awkward to answer.

”Well...” Chanyeol clears his throat. ”Touching it can feel really really good, especially if someone else touches it. Have you seen on TV how two peopel sometimes kiss very long?” Jun nods. ”That's... part of it. Kissing. And then if you really like the person and you both get this bizarre feeling, then... you can go further. Take off your clothes and touch each others, well, whatever the other has. Women don't have dicks, penises that is. They have vaginas and penis can go inside a vagina and that feels really good to both-” He's rambling. ”Basically it's called sex. Having sex. That's what people whose bodies and minds have matured do, if they like it. You don't of course have to touch just the genitalia but... that's where the main focus is, I suppose.”

Jun looks awfully puzzled for a moment, but then he giggles. 'I've seen it on TV. I get it now! So do you touch your that a lot?'

Chanyeol' blush worsens. Of course he masturbates, but he has kept it to a minimum with Jun around. He's so occupied with the kitten to begin with, and he really doesn't want him to witness him with his hand down his pants. It's easier not to do it than try to make sure Jun's attention will be elsewhere for at least 15 minutes.

It also doesn't help that more often than not he's thinking about slender limbs, thin hips, white skin, blond hair and auburn kitty ears when he's jerking himself off. The guilt of that can't be washed off even if he showers for hours after that.

”I do, sometimes. Usually just by myself because, you know, I don't have a girlfriend or a boyfriend. And I don't like letting strangers touch me like that.”

Jun nods, and then frowns. 'Should I?'

For five long seconds Chanyeol doesn't get it-- but then it's like a smack across his face.

”I-It's not like giving hugs, Jun,” he says and bends his legs at the knee to hug them to his chest protectively. ”It's... You're not old enough, either. You haven't had your first heat yet. You know, Minseok told you about heat.”

Jun's ears droop and if he was standing, his tail would be tucked in between his legs. 'Sorry.' And how Chanyeol hates that; he doesn't want his kitten to be sorry. He wanted to just help- how could he have known what he was offering?

Chanyeol quickly pushes his legs down again and then reaches out to bring the kitty to his lap, hugging him close. He can feel the quiver of his muscles and the tension set on his shoulders, almost like Jun is waiting to be punished. Chanyeol smooths his large hands down his sides and back quietly for a while.

”Maybe when you've had your heat,” Chanyeol murmurs after a while. It's a possibility, him helping Junmyeon to get over the painful experience, and in all honesty... He's not opposed to the idea, save for the fact that Jun is pretty much his baby and it does feel dirty to have that kind of thoughts about him. Jun is such an innocent, pure creature, even if he was made to be fucked, and Chanyeol wants to keep protecting that to the best of his ability. But maybe that doesn’t have to mean holding himself back- it’s not like he would hurt Jun and take advantage of him. 

But he wants Jun to be ready.

Jun lifts up his head from where he was resting it on Chanyeol’ shoulder and smiles that gorgeous smile that always gives Chanyeol suspicious heart symptoms. His eyes, though, are dark and his gaze piercing as he stares at him. ‘Do you really think so?’

“Yeah,” Chanyeol answers and swallows, his throat suddenly dry. He doesn’t miss the way Jun’s gaze flick-ers to his lips when he talks and even a quick dip lower, or how the kitten’s breathing gets heavier. His hands grip Jun’s sides tighter and he’s sure the catboy can feel his heart jump just beneath his fingertips. 

‘Minseok said that once I get my heat… We could become lovers. He told me not to let you touch me with-out you really meaning it but I didn’t quite understand. Do you like me, hyung? I want to be a lover. To you.’ 

Jun signs all this against Chanyeol chest again like he did when he was too ill to lift his hand any higher, and he hardly blinks, like he’s scared… he’ll miss something if he does. The tension is back and it’s literally palpable with the way Chanyeol holds him against himself. The confession seems well thought out, and he probably has been considering Minseok’s words ever since the talk they had. Chanyeol let Minseok take care of it because he thought it would be less awkward if it wasn’t him, and it sounds like the man made a valid point; Chanyeol shouldn’t touch Jun just because he is there, because they live together… because he’s his master. It has to mean something to Chanyeol when it will obviously mean a lot to Jun. 

Little Jun who depends on Chanyeol in every single way; how could he hurt him?

“Of course I would mean it,” Chanyeol murmurs and he lifts up a hand to cup the side of Jun’s face. His large palm reaches from his chin to high on his temple, and the kitten automatically turns his head to nuz-zle into it. “I would… And I do. I mean everything I do, every single time. I really… I really love you, Jun.”

What is there not to love. 

Jun ceases to move for a while and his eyes close tightly. Slowly, little by little, a smile returns on his face, and he turns to face Chanyeol again with his eyelashes suddenly wet. ‘I love hyung.’

Chanyeol hefts the smaller male higher, closer, and tilts his head to a better angle until he can simply lean down for a kiss; he slots their lips together carefully, completely aware of how they both are trembling and not wanting to hurt or go too fast. He sucks Jun’s upper lip in between his and caresses it slowly with his tongue before he pushes further to get a proper taste… Oh how sweet he is, the taste exactly what he ex-pected based on their brief pecks on the mouth. Jun meows and then begins to purr, hand stroking up and down Chanyeol’ chest and he returns every move Chanyeol makes hesitantly at first and then with more confidence. 

‘Hyung will be there when I get my heat?’

“I promise I will. And every day after that, too. Don’t you worry, little one; I’m not going anywhere.” 

*

Jun’s heat sure doesn’t rush itself one bit. Days pass and nothing happens, even though both Jun and Chanyeol are… anxious for it. And it’s not just sexual tension that makes the atmosphere odd but also the anticipation that something is going to change once it happens. How exactly… Time will tell. After the con-fession in the bathtub they express their affection for each other even more openly than before, and Jun even makes it a goal to learn how to articulate ‘I love you’ instead of signing it. Chanyeol tries to make him understand that it doesn’t really change anything whether or not Jun can get the words out, but the kitten is hell bent on it- and sure enough, he eventually succeeds too. 

It takes a few days for him to stop repeating it, the longest sentence he has ever managed to say out loud. Chanyeol’ thinks his heart can’t possibly survive the cuteness, and his heart jumps every time Jun says it with that breathy tone of his. It sounds so intimate, like a cautious whisper in the dark after making love together, and the smile Jun gives him when he replies with a ‘I love you too’ only serves to make it that much better. 

Eventually enough time passes that the anticipation just… dissipates. It’s tiring to remain so on edge, wait for something that may take weeks to come, and so they just carry on with their everyday life. It’s late mornings, cuddling together underneath the blankets and sometimes pillow fights and wrestling. Brunch-es eaten together either at home or in one of their favourite cafes nearby, lazy days spent idly until Chanyeol has to leave for work in the evening. Sometimes Jun tags along but most often not; he can keep himself entertained just fine at home too, even though the way he jumps on Chanyeol as soon as he opens the door speaks volumes of how much he’s missed when he’s away. 

But then it starts. 

With Chanyeol waking up to Junmyeon rutting against his thigh. 

They sleep so tangled together that no position really is compromising anymore, so it takes a moment for him to process that this time around it really is, well, compromising. Because when Jun sifts and moans throatily Chanyeol finally feels it; something pressing against his thigh that just can’t be anything else but an actual erection. This is the first time Jun is hard, even in the mornings, and while his cock really is small the press of it is still noticeable. 

Chanyeol’ brain freezes entirely. What is he to do now!? Does he wake Jun up and point this out to him or what? Why don’t stray kitties come with manuals, for fuck’s sake. 

Then Jun rolls his hips, clearly with a purpose, and moans again. A quick glance down reveals that he’s still asleep, so he’s doing this totally unaware, but judging by his quickening breath and twitching he’s not go-ing to stay in his slumber for much longer. Chanyeol knows that Jun’s first heat shouldn’t be too bad, so it’ll most likely pass in 24 hours, but until then… Until then they’re going to be fucking like bunnies. 

His cock twitches in his boxers eagerly. 

Then instinct takes over and his overheated thoughts fade to the background. This is just sex after all, not rocket science. He needs to simply take action and lead Jun through it. Simple. 

Chanyeol reaches down and runs his hands up and down Jun’s thighs for a moment, enjoying the smooth-ness and thickness of them, before he presses one large palm on his lower back to pull him flush to his body and uses the other hand to ease it past the waistband of his pajama pants. More often than not Jun goes commando and today is no exception, as he well remembers from when they changed together last night. And indeed, Jun is hard, and there’s slickness in between his legs that must be his self lubrication prepar-ing him for penetration. The smell of it hits Chanyeol hard, and it’s the most arousing thing he has ever experienced. 

Jun shifts a bit and his eyes blink open as Chanyeol begins to stroke his weeping cock gently, his big hand nearly covering the entire length of it at once. He whines, whimpers and then clambers to get on top of him, hands holding tightly on his shoulders as he stares down at him, clearly trying hard to grasp what’s going on. It must feel so odd… 

‘Hyung, what?’

“Your heat has begun,” Chanyeol answers and gives his cock a squeeze that leaves Jun gasping and shud-dering. “You were like this when I woke up.” 

Jun’s eyes widen and he glances down, gasping for air again as he looks at the way Chanyeol keeps pump-ing him. He leans down to press his face to the crook of Chanyeol’ neck, moaning quietly and mouth hot and insistent as he kisses and nibbles on his skin. 

“Let hyung take care of this, alright?”

All he gets is a curt nod, but it’s enough to make this consensual. 

Chanyeol pushes Jun’s pajama pants down carefully, his breath catching when he catches a sight of Jun’s supple thighs wet with his juices and his cock hard and pretty in his hand. “You’re gorgeous,” he whispers and peppers kisses on the kitten’s shoulder and neck. Jun simply rocks into his touch in response. 

Teasing Jun is probably a bit on the cruel side, but on the other hand Chanyeol doesn’t want to just throw him on his back and take him; this is Jun’s first time and as much as his body is craving for it, he needs his head to be in the right place as well. And so he starts slow, his free hand caressing white skin while he keeps the jerks of his other hand steady and consistent. Meanwhile Jun sucks and licks bruises on his skin, but he doesn’t really mind that. 

Only after Jun is whining loudly in his ear does he roll them over, settling himself in between his legs care-fully and leaning down to kiss him, tongue pushing out right away to wriggle its way into Jun’s mouth. And the catboy is more responsive than ever, hands urgent as they map out Chanyeol’ torso and mouth pliant beneath his, while his legs fall open on their own accord. He’s a mouthwatering sight, splayed out like that… Chanyeol’ cock gives a heady throb as well, and oh how much he wants the neko beneath him. 

He begins by kissing down Jun’s body, taking care to spend time on each spot until there are pink marks everywhere his mouth has touched. He plays with his nipples and teases around his belly button since he knows the area is ticklish, hands kneading Jun’s rear, and Junmyeon whimpers and gasps his name so beautifully that resisting him is simply impossible. And so Chanyeol gives in and closes his lips around the tip of Jun’s cock, sucking it deeper into his mouth quickly after that. The catboy tastes a bit musky and a bit sweet, and the writhing and the hiccupy moans are more than worth it. He can nearly fit all of Jun in his mouth and he bobs his head quickly, eager to let Jun enjoy the experience to the fullest. 

But Jun’s hands are soon on his hair, urging him up. Chanyeol resists it for a while, but eventually he glances up and lets Jun’s cock slide out from his mouth, the tip smearing precum and saliva on his cheek. “What’s wrong, baby?”

‘Please… I need something. In my… ass.’ The naughty word makes Jun blush, although he’s pretty flushed by now anyway. 

Chanyeol laughs and nods. He urges Jun spread his legs even further and then leans down to get a better look. Jun is leaking profusely, and up close the smell is even more intoxicating… He wants to have a taste. 

The firm, slow lick up his crack makes Jun keen, and that makes Chanyeol’ cock twitch. And the taste coats his tongue and makes his arousal spike as well, and by now he has had enough of teasing; he has to get the real thing. 

But first Jun needs to be prepared for it. 

The first finger slips inside of him easily enough, and Jun doesn’t express any level of discomfort because of it. And so Chanyeol adds another right after, scissoring them gingerly to make sure he’s not rushing too much. Clearly he’s not, because all he earns is Jun bucking his hips up and positively fucking himself on his fingers like he has done this a hundred times before. 

“You’re so incredible… So good, so tight, so warm,” Chanyeol babbles, and he’s a bit lightheaded himself with how aroused he is. He probably should strive to stay in full control of what he’s doing and how things are moving along, but he just can’t play it cool, not when Jun is practically falling apart right beneath his fingertips. 

Jun doesn’t have to sign anything; the way he grabs at Chanyeol and claws up and down his arms and back is enough indication that he wants more and his patience is getting thinner. So Chanyeol shoves in a third digit and pumps them briskly in an out of him, his own mouth hanging open as he pants with Junmyeon. His grip on Jun’s hip is bruising and on a very primal level he enjoys that, leaving marks on him; it’s his kitty, his only, and everyone should know that. 

“Hyung!” For once Jun’s articulation is on point, and his desperation is palpable. Chanyeol nods hurriedly and pulls his fingers out, wiping them dry on the bedsheets, and gets out of his boxers. Ah... Freeing his cock from the tightness of them is a delicious sensation, but he too wants more. 

He shuffles closer, hands on Jun’s hips, and rubs the blunt tip of his cock over Jun’s fluttering entrance before he slowly and cautiously pushes in. 

They moan in unison, and end game is already close even though so little time has passed; Jun is inexperi-enced and Chanyeol so worked up for this. There is no way this is going to last long, this round at least, but Chanyeol is going to make the most of it. His hips roll back and then snap forward, skin slapping against skin. The slickness and the heat around his cock are mindblowing, and Jun is coming undone beneath him with each thrust of his hips. Chanyeol wants him to feel every sort of blissful and so he fucks into him as fast as he can, groaning his name and teeth scraping on Jun’s shoulder as he mouths at it. 

Jun holds him tightly, his legs squeezing Chanyeol closer as well, and his noises of pleasure rise in pitch as he nears his orgasm- first ever orgasm. 

Chanyeol wants to see it happen. 

He lifts up his head so he can watch Jun’s face, and reaches in between their bodies to start jerking Jun off again. “Cum for hyung,” he murmurs, eyes fixed on how Jun’s face is contorted with pleasure. “Cum for me. Don’t be scared.” 

A few more seconds pass, and then it happens- Jun falls over the edge with a scream, his cum catching on both of their stomachs and his ass clenching tight and hot around Chanyeol’ cock. His entire body shudders and shakes and then he falls boneless on the bed, but the aftershocks still wreck his body and his ass puls-es around Chanyeol’ length, urging him to cum as well; and he does, releasing deep inside the neko’s body and falling on top of him as gingerly as he can manage in that state. 

They take their time coming down from their high, but eventually Chanyeol rolls them over again to stop squishing his small lover entirely. He brushes slightly shaky fingers through Jun’s matted hair, smiling at him. 

“How was that?” Because what if Jun didn’t like it after all…

Jun smiles, wide, and then leans down to smother Chanyeol in kisses. ‘Amazing. Let’s do it again?’  
Oh boy.


End file.
